Fatal accident on Fir Road in Carl Junction claims life of Galena woman

UPDATE: Authorities say the victim was a 79-year-old woman from Galena, Kansas. Her name has not been released at this time.

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. —  A two-vehicle collision in front of the Carl Junction Nursing Home early Wednesday morning has left one person dead, two others critically injured and left a key roadway closed for hours, as investigators from multiple agencies combed the scene.

The crash was reported just before 6:45 a.m. to E-911 dispatchers, involving an eastbound passenger car that rear-ended a pickup truck waiting to turn into a private drive on Fir Road, just east of North Peace Church Avenue. 

The impact was severe enough to require extrication efforts and sent two occupants from the passenger car to a nearby hospital under priority status, according to Sgt. Brad Crockett of the Carl Junction Police Department.

Responders from the Carl Junction Fire Department, Jasper County Sheriff’s Deputies, and METS ambulance arrived swiftly to the chaotic scene outside the nursing home. By just before 8:30 a.m., authorities issued a NIXLE alert confirming the incident as fatal, with at least one person deceased at the scene.

Troopers from the Missouri State Highway Patrol joined Jasper County deputies on site to lead the probe, focusing on the circumstances of the rear-end collision. Preliminary details suggest the passenger car struck the stationary pickup with significant force, but the exact cause remains under review.

Stay tuned to KZRG for any updates.